ISLAMABAD 13 April (Online): Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has said he would love Lionel Messi to return to the Catalan club from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
“Messi belongs to Barca and if he returns it would be something incredible,” said Lewandowski on Tuesday.
“We know that his place is here, in Barcelona. I don’t know what will happen, but I hope that next season we can play together.”
Lewandowski, top scorer in Spain, could not find the net for the league leaders against Girona and, speaking at a charity event, said he had been carrying an injury.
“I took a blow from (Real Madrid defender Eder) Militao in the game against Madrid and I could not walk,” added Lewandowski, referring to
Barcelona’s 4-0 thrashing by Los Blancos in the Copa del Rey last week.
“On the pitch I have to play better but that knock from Militao left my body in a bad way.”
Amid whistles from PSG supporters who see Messi as a symbol of the club’s mistakes in chasing star signings instead of building a competitive team, Barcelona are openly courting the forward.
Barcelona fans have chanted Messi’s name in the 10th minute – representing his former Barca shirt number – in their last two matches, including a 0-0 draw against Girona on Monday in La Liga.
The playmaker scored a record 672 goals in 778 matches for Barcelona, winning 35 trophies, after joining the club at 13-years-old and developing at their feted La Masia youth academy.
“Leo generates excitement, they have chanted his name in two games now, we’ll see what happens,” said Barca coach Xavi Hernandez after the derby clash.
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